Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-06-24
QUARTERLY REVIEW.
SUGGESTIONS BY S. I. CURTISS,
PHI. D., D. D.

Golden Text, Ps. CIV, AZ, Gle Brought
Forth His People with JOY"
The Schooling of the People of Redemp-
ton. -Nations, like individuals, need to go
to school Israel was to be trained in the
sciences and arts of Egypt, the university of
the ancient world, and afterward in theology
or religion in the wilderness. Sin, misfor-
tune and famine were the instruments in
Gods hands in introducing Israel to Egypt.
The Beloved Son. -Unconsciously Jacob
and Joseph's brethren were co-working with
God in the accomplishment of this plan. God
had great things in store for Joseph, and he
gave him premonitions of them. His father
loved him because he was the son of his be-
loved wife, Rachel, and perhaps because of
his goodness. For all these reasons his breth-
rem hated him, because of his superiority his
goodness and his fathers love- and they were
ready to kill him.
Joseph reminds us of that best beloved Son,
whom his brethren the Jews hated because of
his sinlessness and his just claims to leader
ship whom they betrayed and crucified, and
who became the Saviour of the world through
the sin of his own people, as Joseph became
the savior of his brethren.
Joseph Ruler.-As Jesus the sinless one
suffered because of his goodness, so Joseph
suffered because of his virtue. He went to
prison for years rather than yield to the voice
of temptation and sin against God.
But as Jesus went through the deepest
shame and humiliation to seat at the right
hand of the Father so Joseph was given a
place next the king of Egypt.
Joseph and his Brethren. There is no peace
to the wicked. They are like the troubled
sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up
mire and dirt. Joseph spent years in prison;
but we may well believe that in all those
years he took more comfort than his guilty
brothers. Could they ever forget his pure,
pleading face as they thrust him into the pit,
or the falsehood they told their father
Before they could have forgiveness and
peace, they must experience deep repentance
So we before we can have peace with God,
and have the love of Christ shed abroad in
our hearts, must remember that it was our
sins which nailed our SAVIOUR to the cross
Filial Love.-Joseph is an example of the
love of children for parents in all times. He
| did all he could to make the old age of his
father happy. He was thoughtful for his
comfort and was not ashamed to introduce
him to the proud Pharaoh of Egypt. He re-
warded all his fathers love in his early years
by cherishlng that father in his old age, and
then by honoring his memory when dead as
though he had been king.
An Enslaved People last Joseph died
and all his brethren. A new king arose who
neither knew nor cared for him. This king
| looked with fear on the lsraeities who were
| so rapidly increasing in Goshen on the high
way of his kingdom to the countries of his
enemies III Palestine, the land of the Utilities,
and of Assyria. He even commanded that
all the male children should be slain, but
under Gods care the people kept increasing
| The enslavement of Israel was only the way
! to their deliverance.
The Wonderful Babe Nothing is small in
Gods kingdom. The destinies of this world
| hung on the life of the babe in Bethlehem
! Herods decree was therefore poweress
against him. So at an earlier period the
destinies of Gods chosen people We're com
mitted to a little basket, and that little
basket with its precious burden was COM
mitted to the Nile, and its keeping was in
trusted to Hebrew maiden But that child
was in the keeping of the infinite Col The
same hand that led the Hebrew mother to
put the basket on the waters of the Nile was
leading Pharaoh's daughter thither, and was
preparing the way for this beautiful babe to
become the son of princess
The leader of Gods people must go to
school, first among the princes of the world in
Egypt, and then like his people he was to be
taught of God in the awful solitudes of the
wilderness
The Burning Bush ALI human gifts are in
vain for Gods service without the baptism Of
fire and unless God reveals himself to the
soul. The leaders of Gods host must have a
vision of the Almighty before they can per-
form any mighty works. Moses was versed
in all the learning of the Egyptians, and had
had the opportunity for meditation in the
wilderness, but he was not prepared for his
work until he had seen the burning bush.
The Passover. The destroyer once stood at
every door in Egypt He passed by the doors
where he saw the blood sprinkleI; he entered
wherever he did not see the traces of the
blood, and when he came cut one lay dead.
Christ our passover is slain for us. If his
blood is sprinkled on our hearts we have
peace with God. The destroyer cannot enter.
The soul that sinneth it shall die, and we have
all sinned, but the blood of Jesus Christ
cleanseth us from all sin. Through him we
have redemption and the forgiveness of sins
The Path through the Sea. Israel, delivered
from one peril, was faced with another
There was the sea- But God said go forward
When he gives the word of command we are
to obey, although we are encompassed with
| dungeon walls as refer was, or although the
sea lies before us as it did before Israel The
one that says $50 forward can open the way
before us.
The Manna.-The hand that opens the way
before his people can give them bread We
cannot ask anything better for ourselves thar
to he led OF Cod for if we are in the way
of his providence all difficulties will disap
pear. We need not fear the desert if God &c
before us.
The Ten Commandments are tel
links in one chain. To break the chain it i.
not necessary to break every link. He that
breaks one link has broken the chain HI
that breaks one commandment, as Christ ha:
shown, is guilty of all The heart may have
broken the commandments before the hands
or feet or tongue have done so. Self worship
is idolatry. Supreme devotion to art is image
worship. Contempt of God is proclamation Of
his name. A worldly mind on the Lordi
day is Sabbath breaking. Unkind or slight
ing thoughts of parents constitute failur,
to honor them. Hatred is murder Lust il
adultery Desire OF others property which